Palmetto Poison by C. Hope Clark

I had been wanting to read this book since it came out, and I finally got my copy in the mail–free for an honest review.  I couldn’t wait to get started!

How many people must die before the mystery is solved?  What do boiled peanuts have to do with a nudist resort?  Peanuts, an angry governor and a sly boss lead two government agents right into danger…at a nudist resort, no less. This awesome book has more turns than a labyrinth.  Manipulation is the name of the game, but who’s pulling the strings?

Carolina Slade is an ace at her job, but she sure has a knack for finding people willing to do her damage even if she does deal with agricultural issues!  She’s a tenacious, likeable investigator who finds herself in the crosshairs all too often.  At least Slade has back-up in the form of her love interest, Wayne Largo.  The romance is tastefully done, but Wayne has some serious baggage.  His ex, Pamela, is so easy to hate that I still want to punch her!

I was quickly drawn into the story, and the chapters are the perfect length (7-9 pages in many cases), so Palmetto Poison can be read in “chunks.”  It’s just right for busy readers like me, but it was difficult to put down.  In spite of reading it in chunks, Palmetto Poison is a page-turner that I hated to see end.  The characters are completely believable, and I felt like I was part of the action.  I now consider Slade a friend, but she guards her emotions and is protective of people in her world.  Considering her murderous, deceased husband, I can’t blame her.

Clark’s concise descriptions and attention to detail make it easy to imagine myself back in the south.  I could smell the boiled peanuts at the fair, and I was beside Slade when she knocked on the door of the governor’s mansion.  I was just a step behind as she put the pieces together and wrapped up the case.

If you like a fast-moving story with a meaty plot, you will certainly enjoy Palmetto Poison as much as I did!